'Family Album' at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival

Thursday

Jul 10, 2014 at 2:00 AM

Told through soul-stirring rock 'n' roll music, "Family Album" is the story of middle-aged rocker Heimvey and his hip and influential, but relatively low-income, band.

Told through soul-stirring rock 'n' roll music, "Family Album" is the story of middle-aged rocker Heimvey and his hip and influential, but relatively low-income, band. Seasoned by years of touring throughout the country and on their way to New York City to open for a popular young band at Madison Square Garden, they pop in at the home of former band member Cleo (Heimvey's ex-girlfriend and former muse), her art dealer husband and stockbroker Norman, and their precocious child. The visit stirs deep questioning about choosing the artist's life or the homeowner's, and as alliances are formed and frayed, everyone starts to itch for what someone else seems to have. Meanwhile assumptions and expectations are shuffled and shattered.

This musical by Stew and Heidi Rodewald, created with and directed by Joanna Settle, will run through Aug. 31 in the Thomas Theatre on the Oregon Shakespeare Festival campus, 15 S. Pioneer St., Ashland.

Stew and Rodewald are the authors of the hit musical "Passing Strange," which premiered at Berkeley Repertory Theatre in 2006 and moved to Broadway in 2008. The piece earned seven Tony Award nominations, and Stew received the award for Best Book of a Musical.

"Stew and Heidi were the first artists that Bill (Rauch) approached after the Edgerton Foundation gave OSF funding to commission five musicals. And we have been rocking ever since. We are so excited that this poignant story is the first of our Edgerton musicals to premiere at OSF. A sharply-tuned ear to the rhythm and poetry of our contemporary culture, this musical explores in hard-rocking Technicolor the cost of selling out. Even when one follows one's bliss," said Lue Morgan Douthit, director of literary development and dramaturgy at OSF.

Music direction for "Family Album" is by Stew and Dana Lyn, with choreography by David Neumann.

Scenic design is by Andrew Lieberman and associate scenic designer Eric Southern, costumes by Tilly Grimes, lighting by Jane Cox, and sound design by ACME Sound Partners. Voice and text director is David Carey, fight director is U. Jonathan Toppo and stage managers are Jeremy Eisen and M. William Shiner.